The ARRINGTON-PIGG Family
by Wayne E. Arrington, Sr. & Family

Henry Wise "H" Arrington, Jr (b: 3-17-1917, d: 5-13-1990) and Daphna Pigg (b: 9-27-1919) were married 3-25-1937, in Pearisburg, VA. They spent fifty-three years together and raised one son, Wayne Elvin.

"H" was born to Henry Wise and Alva (Thomas) Arrington and was one of nine children from his father's second marriage. Originally named "HW", which didn't stand for anything, he always had trouble later in life with government and business insisting on giving them his proper name. So "H" changed his name to that of his father, with the same initials, and became a Junior.

"H" went to work at Crane Creek for Pochontas Fuel Company and was transferred to the new Deerfield mine as a equipment operator. He hauled the very first load of coal from the mine to be dumped into a railcar. The company was later bought by Consolidated Coal Company (now CONSOL), which "H" later retired from after forty years of service. Many of his mining and railroad memorabilia has been donated to the Craft Memorial Library's Mining and Railroad Museum.

"H" and Daphna lived in Covel coal camp in Wyoming Co. "H" volunteered as an umpire and referee for the county schools during the 1940s and 50s, for which he received a Letter of Appreciation from Mullens High School in 1994, after his death. "H" was a talented jack-of-all-trades helping out family and friends with many a home project. He was a big race fan and traveled many miles to see a NASCAR race. "H" was also an avid wild game hunter, bagging a 600 pound black bear and a wild boar as trophies to prove it.

Daphna was one of two daughters born to W. F. and Maggie (Booth) Pigg. She attended Montcalm High School and helped her mother work in their general store at Rock. Daphna took many a case of bottles to the Rock Bottling Company as a little girl, and remembers pop costing a nickel. She also remembers catching a train every weekend at 4:00 AM to visit relatives in nearby towns. Like most young couples of the time, Daphna and "H" were never left alone until they were married and were constantly chaperoned by Daphna's older sister Creola.

After she and "H" moved to Princeton in 1958, Daphna worked as a school lunch cook for the Mercer County School System for a number of years before retiring. At age 73, Daphna received a Letter of Appreciation for her many hours of volunteer work for the Princeton Community Hospital near her home. Now at age 81, she still loves to travel, having visited 49 of the 50 United States (Hawaii is just too far she says).

"H" and Daphna married and raised their son through the end of the Great Depression. They worked hard all their lives and tried to contribute as much as they could to their family, community and local churches.